Sir Broken Heart
by PrincessMaryJaneKOA
Summary: AU 2.7 Henry and Princess Mary visit Queen Katharine of Aragon's deathbed and are reunited as a family, if only briefly, for a precious moment in time.Henry reflects on all Jane has done for him and Mary after Katharine's death. NOW A TWOSHOT!
1. Loss of a Queen

_**AN: I realise that this is pure fantasy but this is how I would've liked 2.7 to be. Also I regard Queen Katharine of Aragon as the true Queen of England and not Anne. And Princess Mary as King Henry's only legitimate daughter.**_

He stared at the letter like his world was ending.

Henry could barely make out the letter from Katharine's lady in waiting Elizabeth Darrell it was so tear stained. He had never thought that it would come to this; he knew Katharine had been ill but not so ill that he needed to send a physician to see her.

Or so he thought.

In that moment, he didn't think of Anne or Elizabeth or how happy Anne would be when she found out, all his fractured mind could process was that his wife (or his mistress, depending which mood he was in) of over 20 years was dying.

Henry motioned to a servant and snapped:

"Tell Princess Mary that I will be arriving at Hatfield immediately to escort her to The More and that her mother is gravely ill"

In his panicked state Henry didn't realize that he had just referred to Mary as a Princess.

Half an hour later Henry was ready to leave.

Anne saw that Henry was about to leave and frowned. Where would he go without her?

"Henry!" She ran outside. "Not now Anne" he said gruffly, he had to get to Katharine.

"Henry! Henry please!" Anne cried as he rode off with his retinue. But he didn't't look back.

Not once.

"Lady Mary, your father the King will be here shortly and he requests that you go with him to the More immediately to visit your mother" Lady Bryan said.

Her mother?

If her father wanted them to visit her mother then it could only be bad news.

For once all the attention wasn't on Elizabeth as Mary made her way outside to greet her father.

Suddenly before she knew it he was there, his handsome faced tight with worry.

"Father" she said, bowing her head.

By God! Was that Mary? She looked almost grown up now, but he hid his surprise well.

"Daughter" he replied tenderly and for a moment he forgot everything that had happened as though he was a proud father looking upon his only daughter.

But then Henry remembered why he was here and the moment passed.

"Your mother is gravely ill" he said as he watched her face change from the delight of basking in her fathers love to fear for her mother's life.

Without another word said between them Mary got into the carriage that had been prepared of her journey.

In that moment Henry didn't give a thought to his youngest daughter.

After all they had been through; Henry, Katharine and Mary were still a family.

A family he loved.

Meanwhile Queen Katharine of Aragon's life was nearing its end.

Oh how she wished she could see Mary and Henry just once! How cruel he was, to keep her from her only daughter, her life.

Little did Katharine know that her illness caused her to suffer hallucinations.

"Mary" she called out weakly, "Is that you?" but no, it was only Lady Elizabeth.

Meanwhile Mary and Henry had arrived at The More. Henry hoped they were not too late. There were so many things he wanted to tell her.

"How is my wife, the Queen?" Henry burst into the room, startling Elizabeth. If Henry realized what he had just said, he ignored it, as did Mary though she almost smiled (despite the seriousness of the situation) at the use of her mother's proper title.

"She is fading fast" replied Elizabeth, her face stained with tears. "Have you not summoned a physician?" Henry demanded impatiently. Elizabeth decided not to point out that it was the King himself that decided that Katharine did not need a physician.

"Elizabeth?" a weak voice called out from the other room. "Who is that in there?" Henry and Mary both raced into the room.

Katharine blinked, who was that? Surely that was not….? No it couldn't be!

"Mary" she whispered hesitantly, half fearing that this was just another mirage.

Henry stopped in the doorway as he watched Mary approach Katharine's bed cautiously, he would let them have their moment.

After all it was the least he could do for them.

At the sight of her mother, so pale and weak, Mary burst into sobs. Suddenly Katharine had a great burst of energy as she realized that it really was Mary.

"Mary… oh Mary! My daughter is it you? Sweetheart."

They embraced and Katharine's grip was painfully weak.

"Mama, oh mama how I've missed you. You have no idea how I've missed you!" Mary cried as sobs wracked her body.

Henry, guiltier than ever slowly came up beside them and as they released each other, Katharine's eyes shot open.

"Henry! Henry? Is that you?" Gently Henry pushed Katharine back down on the bed.

"Shh… sweetheart, you need to rest." He said as he kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"Henry? Have you forgiven me?" she said weakly.

He hesitated for a moment.

"I love you Henry, as I have always loved you." She said grasping his hand.

"I know….Sweetheart I know"

"I am still Your Majesties loyal wife and Queen, as I have always been" she said defiantly.

"I know Katharine, I know. I was wrong, can you ever forgive me?" he said fighting off the urge to weep.

"And I am still your wife?" she said.

"Yes, Katharine of Aragon, you are the Queen of Hearts and you will always be my Queen of England.I am your Sir Loyal Heart. Just as Mary is England's Princess."

By this time Mary had quietly left the room, letting them say their goodbyes.

"Oh Henry, you have made me so happy! There is so much we have to say to eachother." She broke off, coughing.

"You will look after Mary and reinstate her as a Princess won't you?... Please?" She pleaded with him.

"As she was always meant to be" he replied, knowing that every word was true.

"Here is my will" she handed him a letter bearing her signature: Katharine the Queene.

"Look after her… no matter what that woman says….. For me."

Her eyes closed.

"Katharine... Katharine!" Henry's screams brought Mary and Elizabeth running.

"Mama….. Mama please…." Mary broke down in heart wrenching sobs after seeing her mother's eyes were closed.

After what felt like an eternity Henry grabbed Mary's hand and led her gently from the room. He didn't't cry out… but inside his heart was breaking.

Once they had returned to Hatfield he handed Mary her letter and the things from her mothers will.

"I love you Mary… Pearl of my world, I will always love you" Henry whispered the words so quietly that she was not quite sure whether he had said them at all.

Then he was gone.

She was alone.

Henry entered the palace just as Anne came running up to him.

"Henry! Where have you been? I've been worried sick!"

He was as pale as death and looked as though he was trying not to cry. He had fought a battle with his heart and knew what he must now do, even though he had made the biggest mistake of his life and destroyed the Catholic Church over this and it was too late to go back now.

With a supreme effort he forced a smile onto his face.

"Sweetheart! The best news, Katharine is dead!"

"Dead?" Anne replied happily. "Then we must celebrate!"

At her cruel words Henry winced inside. Did Anne not care that his daughter Mary had just lost her mother?

Apparently not.

Well it was too late to go back now.

On the outside he would celebrate.

But on the inside he would mourn.

He had betrayed his last promise to his dying wife to reinstate their daughter.

Some Sir Loyal heart he was.

More like Sir Fickle heart, betraying Katharine just to save face.

Or even more so, Sir Broken heart.

For his heart was broken.

England's true Queen was dead.


	2. Sir Broken Heart X2

_**AN: A continuation from part one this begins as Jane Semour is dying (3.4) as Henry has flashbacks concerning Mary, Jane and himself. Also thanks to **_**Lady Eleanor Boleyn **_**for pointing out a slight error in this, I did write this late at night though:D**_

Henry stared in horror at the pale figure lying on the bed.

She was as pale as death, and Henry knew that she had childbed fever, just as his mother had had before her.

This couldn't be happening, not again.

But it was.

It had been 2 years since Katharine had died and though Henry missed her everyday, since he had married the woman now lying on the bed, the hole in his heart had started to heal.

He had executed Anne after it became clear (or so he was told) that she was cheating on him with a numerous number of men, including her own brother!

Henry would never admit it to himself, but really, he just wanted to get her out of the way. Shortly after Katharine's death, mere months in fact, he had fallen in love again.

The lady in question was Jane Seymour. Though they were nothing alike in looks Jane and Katharine both shared the same religion, a deep sense of piety and overall a great affection for his daughter Mary.

Many people speculated that he had chosen her as his next wife because she was nothing like Anne, and while that was true, he loved her for her true self, as well as the fact that she was so much like Katharine, yet different.

She was perfect.

Despite his promises to his dying wife he had not yet reinstated his daughter to the succession, since Anne (who he discovered at the time was pregnant) would have thrown a fit.

Jane, however, loved Mary and was constantly urging him to reinstate her and give her back the title of Mary, Princess of England and Wales.

So soon after the marriage he announced to a shocked (yet pleased) court that he intended to reinstate Mary to the succession and revealed the promise that he had made to Katharine as well as Jane. Mary would be behind any sons that he and Jane had, but in front of any daughters, including Elizabeth.

Some people commented that it was cruel of the King not to reinstate Elizabeth to the succession, but they had to see it from his point of view.

His memories of Elizabeth's mother were still far too fresh and there was also the question of whether she was his, as well as the fact that Anne had become pregnant before her marriage(for lack of a better word).

Any doubts he may have had about his decision were swept away the moment he informed Mary of the news.

*Flashback*

_The moment she became Queen, Jane insisted on meeting Mary and telling her the good news in was time, high time, for Mary to be reinstated to the succession._

_Mary couldn't believe it when Lady Bryan had announced, like an echo of the year before, that her father, the King was coming to visit. Nobody knew exactly what was in store for her. She had hoped and prayed that since the dreadful day of her mothers death, that the King would keep his promise to her mother and reinstate her to the succession, but weeks passed and still, nothing._

_She had all but lost hope._

_Then her father and the new Queen Jane Seymour entered the room._

"_Mary, dearest Mary. How I have missed you." Henry greeted his daughter warmly._

" _May I present you to Her Majesty, Queen Jane" Mary curtsied deeply._

"_Madam." _

"_Mary, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I'll leave you two alone to talk in private." Queen Jane kissed Mary on the cheek warmly before exiting the room._

"_Sweetheart, I have some important news." Henry and Mary sat down._

" _I want you to come back to court,I know this has been a longtime coming, but Jane has pesuaded me to reinstate you to the succession and I want all of England to know that you are the heir to the throne above all others. At least until my son is born." Henry amended. " It will take time but I fully intend to reconcile with the Catholic church. You see, it took your mother's death" Henry paused, emotion overtaking him. "It took your mother's death for me to realize that I made an extreme error all those years ago when I allowed myself to be seduced by that whore. I know that it may not make up for all my past mistakes, but can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?" Henry whispered the last part, trying not to cry._

_Mary couldn't believe what she was hearing, her father intended to reinstate her to the succession, all the things she had longed for and dreamed, were at last coming true!_

"_My daughter…. The pearl of my world…. Princess Mary Tudor of England and Wales." Henry embraced his daughter. _

_Mary sighed with satisfaction, she was at last content._

*Flashback end*

Now the woman that was responsible for so much happiness in all of their lives was dying, and there was not one thing he could do to save her. Needing to distract himself from the awful sight of Jane lying there, he remembered when he had told the entire court.

*Flashback*

_It was Christmas, the first happy Christmas that Mary had had in years. Even Elizabeth was there. Henry glanced at Jane and she nodded._

_It was time._

_The court became deadly quiet as the King began to speak._

" _My Lords and Ladies, tonight I am pleased to announce something that is very dear to my heart. My fair Queen has persuaded me to do something for which I have wanted to do for years." He took Mary's hand and pulled her up to stand beside him._

" _As all of you would know, for many years, my daughter has held the title of Lady Mary. Well tonight at Christmastide I say that this title shall be abolished! I have seen the light and I have decided to reinstate my daughter Mary's well deserved and rightful title of Princess of England and Wales! Furthermore, Princess Mary is to be declared as my legitimate and rightful heiress to the throne of England until the Queen and I have a son." There was a stunned silence for a moment then many of the court burst into shocked applause. Only a few faces such as Cromwell held a faint hint of worry. Even Elizabeth clapped, though she didn't understand what was going on._

_The King held up his goblet. "To my daughter Mary, Princess of England and Wales."_

" _Princess Mary of England and Wales." The court obediently chorused._

_Henry waited until the thunderous applause had died down before continuing._

" _Also, thanks to the Queen, I have decided to pardon all the rebels from the Pilgrimage of Grace, because as of this moment forth England is officially Catholic!" More stunned silence before even more applause._

" _Now eat, and celebrate this momentous occasion and a new beginning!" Henry roared._

_While the rest were eating Henry summoned Ambassador Chaypuys._

"_Your Majesties." Mr. Chapuys grinned, " Princess Mary." He acknowledged her with a deep bow and turned to Elizabeth. "Lady Elizabeth." His bow was much shallower this time. Elizabeth frowned; she didn't like this at all._

" _Ambassador Chaypuys, you will inform Emperor Charles of my return to Rome and the true faith, as well as the restoration of Princess Mary to her rightful position, also, convey my warmest greetings to the Pope and tell him I will soon be issuing a proclamation informing all my subjects of my decision." _

"_Yes, Your Majesty." Chaypuys bowed, although privately he thought that although the King said this today, he could easily change his mind the next. As though he knew what he was thinking, Henry also added. " I will also be signing a document, in front of witnesses that announces the legitimacy of Princess Mary, now and always, as well as my everlasting loyalty to Rome."_

_Chaypuys only just managed to stop his mouth from falling open, as others came up to congratulate the Princess._

*Flashback end*

Jane was the one who had reconciled them, and Henry thanked God for it everyday. Not only that but she had given him the son he had wanted for so long, and yet she was to soon forfeit her own life.

He had a son.

But, he realized, that he would have much rather of had a daughter, as long as Jane lived.

She had to live.

As he knelt down by the bed, he noticed that her eyes had stopped fluttering and she had grown still.

Another Queen lost.

" Jane…. Don't leave me…. Please" he begged her. "Just because you have done everything that you've promised…. Don't leave me… how will I survive without you? How will Mary survive without you? I love you." He broke down into sobs, and couldn't help but remember just a few short years ago, how he had once knelt at Katharine's bedside.

He had done his best to make things right, he had repaired the estrangement between himself and Rome, as well as legitimated his daughter again.

Why was God still punishing him?

"Maybe", Henry reflected, "It is too little, too late."

His heart was broken again for the second time.


End file.
